With Halloween just around the corner, things have gotten quite spooky around my house. Over the weekend my mom and dad held their annual Halloween party, and while you’ll still have to wait just a bit longer to see my homemade costume for this year, I couldn’t help but get into the spooky spirit!
Pretty scary right?
My mom told me that all the ghouls and ghosts come out at night to haunt little puppies who do naughty things during the day.
I might just start hiding under the covers now! Eek!
Disclaimer: This review and giveaway is brought to you by Sleepypod.
One of the benefits to having a small dog is the ability to easily travel with them. So when Sleepypod, makers of all the things necessary to travel with your small pet, offered me up the chance to test out their Sleepypod Air Travel Bag and Sidekick Bike Rack I couldn’t wait to get riding!
The Sleepypod Air has all the bells and whistles needed for a comfortable and safe travel experience for your pet. The Air can even be used to safely transport your pet in the car (by attaching the bag with a seatbelt), and is also airline approved. It comes in 5 yummy colors (jet black, dark chocolate, orange dream, glacier silver, and strawberry red), I chose the orange dream color because I thought it might reflect the light/sun more (I thought black might get hot if I was biking in the sun), and plus, who doesn’t love some color!
The Sleepypod Air is also an airline approved bag that can easily adapt to under -seat storage requirements set by different airlines. The Sleepypod Air is a great bag for Dachshunds as it is one of their largest travel bags. The ends of the bag can compress from a length of 22″ to 19″ and all the way down to 16″ so it can easily fit under airline seats when needed. It even folds up completely flat when not in use (so once you reach your destination it won’t take up much room in your own suitcase).
Now I haven’t tested the Air in the actual AIR, but I decided for my first adventure with it I would take it for a spin with the Sidekick bike attachment designed to work with several of Sleepypod’s pet carriers.
Before setting out on my maiden voyage bike ride I had to help Mom and Dad install it. The Sidekick is designed to be a stable base to hold a Sleepypod pet carrier on your bike.
We followed the handy directions on how to install the Sidekick and with a little supervision from yours truly I was soon ready to take it for a spin. It helps to note that it works best on bikes that contain additional eyelets on the front wheels, but have no fear if your bike doesn’t have any (mine didn’t either), Sleepypod sells additional attachments to make it work on ones without them.
Once installed on your bike the Sleepypod Air easily attaches to the rack with a few buckles that are already included with the bag.
Now I’m a bit on the large side when it comes to fitting comfortably into the Air. Weighing 18 pounds I’m a bit over the recommended weight limit for dogs of 15 pounds, but I was still able to lay down in the bag and I could even turn around in it if I really wanted to.
When it came time for my first bike ride Mom and Dad weren’t sure how I would like it. If you know me, then you know I’m not exactly thrilled about being in confined spaces like crates. But for a few weeks leading up to my ride Mom had been hiding treats in the bag around the house to convince me that it wasn’t a scary place to be.
So when I was finally zipped inside and off on my ride I was quite comfortable. The mesh lining on top of the bag is quite see-through and breathable so it helped me feel less confined. I didn’t even mind when mom made a few quick turns with the bike.
Check out the video below of me enjoying my first few rides with the Sleepypod Air and Sidekick.
Since I’m a larger dachshund my weight was a little hard for mom to handle on the front of her bike (making steering a little more difficult), but I told mom she needs to start lifting weights anyway! I’m sure you could probably install the Sidekick on the back of a bike too, making it much easier to ride with a little bit heavier of a dog. I may end up helping mom install mine on the back of our bike – just so she stops complaining that her arms are sore after our bike rides…..what a wimp!
I can’t wait for the many more bike rides that are sure to be in my future with the Sleepypod Air & Sidekick!
And now for the best part…
ONE Lucky WINNER will WIN a Sleepypod Air!
(winner chooses color)
Here’s HOW TO WIN:
For this giveaway I will be using, Rafflecopter. We only use the information you provide to contact the winners and we never share it – so not to worry. Winners will be chosen at random and you will be contacted via e-mail to claim your prize. All the winners will also be announced on this blog post once the giveaway ends on 11/5/13 12AM EST. Open to US Residents Only. Winners must claim their prizes within 48 hours of being notified or prize will be forfeited. Good luck!
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Sleepypod, but all opinions are entirely my own.
Halloween is just around the corner and while I already have my costume planned out I thought it would be fun to round-up some of my favorite costumes for pets – incase you still haven’t decided yet. So here are a few of my spooky faves this year!
What are you going to be for Halloween this year?
For those of you who follow me on Facebook I’m sure you have been on the edge of your seats waiting for me to share all my adventures from this past weekend at the Yuengling Oktoberfest event in Bethlehem, Pennyslvania.
Well after obtaining my special Puppy Pass (for VIP Dachshunds only) I was excited to attend my very first Oktoberfest!
I was super excited to see some fellow germans at the Oktoberfest – I felt right at home immediately!
I had fun touring around the event, everything smelled so wonderful, especially the sausages and beer!
I quickly began to make new friends – the german ladies loved me, what can I say I’m a handsome guy!
Even the children couldn’t keep their hands off me!
I had fun soaking up the culture, and after watching some german dances I was definitely ready for the main event – the Dachshund Races!
The Dachshunds came from all over to race, and there was even a few other super heroes in the mix besides myself!
I even got to meet one of my Facebook friends, Super Dash, who came sporting a bowtie his mom made him from my DIY Bowtie tutorial!
There were dachshunds big and small – some twice my size, some half my size, but everyone came for one reason – to race for the title of Champion!
With over 40 Dachshunds competing I knew it was going to be pretty tough to beat them all. But after winning a few of the preliminary heats I was pretty confident I could make it to the top. And after showing off a few of my favorite tricks I was clearly the crowd favorite to win when I made it to the final race!
Just watch what happened yourself….
If you had trouble telling what happened – it’s because mom’s camera skills were not so stellar. She said it was difficult to film me and call my name/shake cookies at the same time. Excuses, excuses.
Regardless, I won 3 preliminary heats, beating out some really fast weenies – and earning myself a spot in the final against 2 other super fast dachshunds. The final race was run and I came in at a photo finish with a dachshund named Tucker – who had me beat in size by a lot! So the judges decided to re-run the race, just me and Tucker.
I like to think I won that final race, but since it was so close to call the judges said Tucker won by just a nose!
Even though I didn’t win the coveted Champion title, reserve champ still came with some pretty nice perks. I got to take home this hand-blown glass dog bone from the ArtsQuest Glass Blowing Studio and these yummy handmade cookies from Whisker Biscuits.
Not only that but I also brought home not one, but two dachshund cakes from the Vallos Bakery! (too bad mom says they are only for human consumption).
Even though I can’t say I’m the Dachshund Races Champion it still feels pretty great to be Reserve Champion. After all, I am still faster than a speeding bullet!
Before we get to the recap of all the exciting adventures I’ve been on this past September, I wanted to give a shoutout to my special sponsors! Without them I wouldn’t be able to keep my website up and running.
The Dog Agility Shop is one of my favorite shops for all of your dog agility equipment needs. Even if you aren’t a big time competitor, having some DIY’d dog agility equipment in your backyard is a great way to have some fun with your dog and get some exercise too. The Dog Agility Shop supplies all the parts and accessories you need to make your own equipment at a very affordable price! And with FREE US GROUND SHIPPING their prices can’t be beat! Make sure you shop the Dog Agility Shop the next time you are in need of equipment!
Envision Event Media provides high-definition video production, customized editing, wireless studio-quality audio, and graphic design packages for all your video production needs. Based out of Asheville, North Carolina (but available to travel) Envision Event Media is run by my mom’s brother, Taylor Hellhake. So when you are looking for a videographer for your next big project, make sure you check out Envision Event Media!
If you would like to find out more about my advertising rates, click HERE. And thanks again to all of my wonderful sponsors, I couldn’t do it without you!
Now to take a look back at all the fun I’ve had in September!
I kicked off September by dressing up in my fancy bowtie.
I went on my first Disc Golf Adventure at the French Creek State Park.
Since Summer was coming to an end I took in my last days at the pool and even had some ice cream.
I gave away the secret behind some of my fun photoshoots.
I traveled to New Jersey for a family reunion.
I had some fun on the farm with my best friend Trooper.
I ran our monthly horse show at the farm.
I took a trip to Highland Orchards for some caramel apples and a visit with the goats.
I shared some snapshots from my everyday life.
I helped mom recover an ottoman.
I told everyone about my new monthly newsletter.
As you can see it’s never a dull moment around here! What kind of fun did you have in September?
Today is my Birthday! I’m officially 5!
Even though I’m five I don’t feel a day over 2! I’m looking forward to many more years of adventures and I wanted to thank all of you for joining me for Birthday Week as well as all of my journeys! I enjoy making all of you smile and I appreciate you leaving me comments on my blog and facebook page. I’m lucky to have friends like you!
And now I bet you are all wondering what exactly I got for my Birthday! So lets take a look inside my gift box!
Oh lucky day, I got a Benebone (which I can’t wait to start chewing to see how well it will hold up to my choppers), and Nylabone Dental Chew, and a yummy goody from Pet Valu! I feel like the luckiest boy in the world!
So thanks again for celebrating with me this week. I hope you had as much fun as I did!
It’s Birthday Week, which means I plan to celebrate BIG! So this year mom helped me whip up the perfect party accessory, a PINATA! Keep reading to find out how you can make your own piñata for your dog.
Supplies:
Step 1: Trace the shape of your piñata onto two pieces of cardboard. We chose to use a dachshund shape, but this could work for any dog shape. The more simplified the shape is the easier it will be to create a piñata. Then cut both of them out.
Step 2: Cut several strips about 3″ wide out of a thin cardboard (cereal boxes work great), then begin to edge one of your dog shapes by taping the strips along the edges.
Step 4: When you have edged your shape all the way around the dog, make a hinged door at the base of the dog. You will also want to make sure you section off some of your dog shape so that the cookies will stay in one area (and not fall into the legs) like the picture above. When you are all done you will want to add your second dog shape to the other side and tape into place.
Step 5: Cut several strips of tissue paper out and fringe the edges of them with your scissors.
Step 6: Wrap the tissue paper around your dog and tape into place. You can alternate colors by overlapping them.
Step 7: Tie a string through the door of your piñata, you can use a small stick to keep it from pulling through. Then cover the base of your dog in tissue paper and tape several pieces of dummy string (that won’t do anything when pulled) to the underside. It helps to use a less sticky tape like washi tape, or simply rub scotch tape on your clothing before attaching to the piñata.
Step 8: Fill your piñata with small cookies and tape shut with a small piece of slightly sticky tape.
Step 9: If you want your dog to be able to open the piñata themselves then you may want to tie some cookies to the ends of your strings. Otherwise you can pull the string for your dog.
Step 10: Hang your piñata for your dog to enjoy! Make sure you always supervise your dog while playing with the piñata and do not allow them to eat the string!
I had a blast with my Birthday Piñata, just check out the video below:
Happy Birthday Week to Me!
I thought it would be fun to create a little reader survey for all my fans. Just a little something to get to know you better, and to help me make my blog even better!
So if you have just a few minutes today, I’d really really love it if you could Take my Survey!
And since I’m asking you to share a little bit about yourself today, I thought it would be fun to answer a few questions about myself, just like I did last year, so you can get to know me a little bit better! Some questions are ones my fans posted on Facebook, and a few I threw in there for fun!
Q: Are you a standard or a mini dachshund?
A: I get this question a lot actually. I weigh in at about 17lbs, which is much too large to be a mini dachshund (typically they are under 10 lbs) but a little small for a standard (usually around 30lbs). So mostly I consider myself a tweenie, since I’m in between sizes! Below is a photo of me with my pal Liebe, who is a standard dachshund.
Q: Is there anything you are afraid of? (question from Rebecca F.)
A: I like to think I’m a pretty brave dog (after all I am a Super Hero) but if we’re being honest I do have a few small fears. I dislike the vacuum, I hate fire or even the smell of smoke, I’m not a fan of loud gunshot sounds, and I’m afraid of the vets office (not necessarily the vet or the people that work there, just the actual place – you know the place you get all your shots). Below is a shot of me at the vet last year when I got a little puncture wound playing on the farm.
Q: How did you learn to behave so well off-leash and at the farm? (question from Brenda D.)
A: That’s a good question! Truth be told I’m rarely ever allowed off leash, with the exception of the family farm. My backyard at home is completely fenced in and the few times I did manage to get out I did take a little neighborhood tour before mom and dad caught me. But at the farm I’m allowed to roam free, with nothing keeping me from wandering. This was a luxury that mom and dad allowed me to do when I was just a wee pup (but keeping a watchful eye at all times) and I just decided that there was plenty to occupy me (meaning lots of groundhog holes) on the 20 acres that the horse farm sits that I didn’t really feel the need to wander. Now just because I’m allowed off leash on the farm doesn’t mean that I always come when I’m called. I’ve got stubborn dachshund in my blood and if I’m on a scent or emerged in a hole I can’t be bothered to listen to mom’s calls. But that’s why I wear a glowdoggie collar at night, and hopefully soon I’ll be wearing a GPS tracker as well – so mom doesn’t have to wander all over the farm looking for me.
But for places like the dog friendly beach, where mom and dad decided to trust me enough to let me off leash, they make sure to keep a tube full of cookies nearby that they shake when they want me to come. Something about that noise makes me come running! I also practice my recalls regularly, but like I said I am a dachshund, and sometimes still have a mind of my own!
Q: What is the hardest trick you have ever learned? (question from Rebecca F.)
A: It seems as though the more tricks I learn the better I get at learning (so the faster I am able to master them). One of my hardest tricks though was learning how to hold objects in my mouth for pictures. You may have noticed that more recently I have been taking more photos with things in my mouth. While I’m still learning to hold them for extended lengths of time, this has probably been one of the most difficult tricks for me to master.
Q: How did you get so handsome? (question from Miles F.)
A: I like to think that I was sprinkled with fairy dust when I was just a pup. Or perhaps it’s because I always eat all my veggies!
So I hope you enjoyed learning a little bit more about me! And don’t forget to Take my Survey!
This is my sunroom, my favorite room in the whole house. (Don’t mind the easter eggs and the snow outside – this was taken earlier this year). I spend a lot of time in here, since it’s got the best view! See that ottoman in the middle, well I also spend a lot of time on that sunbathing. Which is also the reason why mom decided that the fabric needed to be changed (on account of my “sometimes” muddy paws).
Now I’m no stranger to furniture restorations, I’ve helped mom repaint chairs, and dressers – but this would be my first fabric recover!
So mom broke out the tools, but that’s not really how this Dachshund rolls – especially when you have some built-in tools of your own…..
And thanks to me, about an hour later I was looking at my brand-new ottoman!
Covered with a charcoal grey sunbrella fabric, mom says it’s designed to take a bit more of a beating than what was previously on it.
As long as these paws are still allowed on the furniture than it’s A-OK with me!
Disclaimer: This review and giveaway is brought to you by Kong Premium Treats.
You might remember that a couple of months ago I got to test out the new line of Kong Premium Treats, which were oh so yummy. Well now they have released a new batch of goodies, and of course I couldn’t wait to get my paws on them too!
Kong Pumpkin Stix
These treats were soft, and great for stuffing into one of the kong toys I already owned. I think the Pumpkin Stix were my favorite of the Kong Premium Treats that I got to test out.
Kong American Chicken Tenders
These were a tougher chew that was much larger – but that didn’t stop me from chowing down!
Kong Double Rawhide Chews
These rawhide chews were definitely longer lasting, so if you have a dog that you need to keep occupied, then these are the treats for you. They might be better suited for a larger dog though, and always make sure you supervise your dog when giving them rawhides as they can sometimes be a choking hazard.
Below is a video of Trooper and I chowing down on these delicious Kong Premium Treats. Being taste testers is the best!
And now for your chance to do your very own taste test!
THREE Lucky winners will receive 1 package of Double Chews, 1 package of American Chicken Tenders, and 1 package of Pumpkin Stix.
Here’s HOW TO WIN:
For this giveaway we will be using Rafflecopter. We only use this information to contact the winner and we never share it – so not to worry. Three winners will be chosen at random and you will be contacted via e-mail to claim your prize. All the winners will also be announced on this blog post once the giveaway ends. Open to US Residents Only. Good luck!
Make sure you check out my friends at Kong Premium Treats here:
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Disclosure: I received 3 packages of Kong Premium Treats to review, all opinions are entirely my own.